Piles of bodies are strewn across a battlefield where two great empires are waging war. A river of blood flows down the slope of the hill, weaving its way past rocks and trees as soldiers fight and die for their emperors, adding more blood to the river. A countless number have fallen in battle to their enemy, and much more will follow closely. Few are nobles’ sons who went to war for the first time while a great many come from farmlands and other rural areas. War has not discriminated against social status and will consume all in its path.
The two empires, the Tretish Empire and the Shinia Empire, have been at war for the past two years. Before that, they had a sixteen years war that ended in a stalemate, which led to years of tension between them. The Shinia Empire is to the northern area, huge mountains and snow make up most of the land making it rich in ore but poor in available farmland. The Tretish Empire is southeast of Shinia, where rolling fields and valleys are full of farmlands. Being neighbors, they had hoped to keep a good relation in trade, but greed filled the hearts of those in power, leading to higher prices and demand and eventually war.
Skirmishes of clashing swords and shields and the screeching of armor as it is pierced or bashed are spread across the trampled land. Between them are young boys called scavengers running around collecting weapons, shields, arrows, and other valuables they find. Archers who are not busy handling other archers or critical targets are targeting the scavengers to reduce the flow of armaments going to the enemy. However, there is a target that archers target even more than scavengers, soldiers, and commanders.
The messengers, the ones who are the fastest runners of the boys, tasked with carrying letters and reports around the battlefields, they are the most valuable target to anyone. Significant shifts in wars have occurred from messengers being killed from the contents of letters and reports. Messengers are not marked but easily identified since they do not fight or help the scavengers. Soldiers are rewarded for the successful capture of messenger information. Because of their importance and value, the best messengers are treated equally or better than the average commander.
There is a messenger from Shinia that stands above the rest, shrouded in mystery from the enemy, he is known only as the Cat Messenger. The messenger has been spotted in various battlefields, ranging from forests to packed cities. His agility and speed are that of a cat’s, and he always slips away from the enemy. The Cat Messenger has even lifted a few documents from Tretish messengers who helped Shinia change the course of various battles. His face has never been revealed to those in Tretish leaving only his physical characteristics to be put on wanted posters.
It was not long before the Emperor of Shinia heard about the Cat Messenger and his exploits in battles. Intrigued by this boy who has done many things that have aided the empire, the emperor sent a royal messenger with a summons to bring the boy before him. A couple of weeks had passed before the emperor received word that the Cat Messenger was coming to appear before him. It was not for another week before that he arrived in the capital.
Walking along the inner wall that surrounds the castle that houses the emperor, the Cat Messenger is looking around at all the people and buildings. He eyes tell that of someone looking impressed with how the city is clean and bustling with life. Being from the front lines, every city or town he has been to was torn apart and filled with the dead. Seeing a city filled with smiling faces and friendly chatter was something everyone from the front wished to see again.
Not wanting to waste more time, the Cat Messenger begins to work. He has circled the wall several times from various heights to get an idea of the castle’s entrances and where the emperor will be. He found an area mostly devoid of people that would make the best spot to scale up. The way the wall was constructed and the distance between the buildings and the wall, it was easier to scale by hand than using a grappling rope to climb. Once on top the wall, he had to avoid the guards and walk past two stations before making it to a walkway that went to the castle.
Making his way around the wall while the sun is up was tricky, but the Cat Messenger manages to pull it off without arousing too much suspicion from the guards. Getting across the walkway and up a level on the side of the castle was a breeze, allowing him access to the third level. He suspected the emperor was in the throne room where he would be meeting with other nobles to discuss general ideas of matters that the Cat Messenger would not understand.
Entering the throne room from the upper level, the Cat Messenger walks swiftly to the back of the room where the emperor was seated. Waiting for the opportunity, he jumps down from above, landing and rolling several feet in front of the emperor. The Cat Messenger did not rise, remaining in a kneeling position before the emperor. His sudden appearance startled the emperor, and the guards quickly surrounded him, swords and lances at the ready.
“Seize him!” Yells the emperor, standing to move away from him.
“My deepest apologies, your Imperial Majesty. I have only appeared here as you have summoned. Here is the Order of Summons I received from the royal messenger.” The Cat Messenger reached into his jacket, pulling out a rolled parchment that bared the emperor’s seal.
One of the guards takes the document and hands it to the emperor. Guards now surround the Cat Messenger, ready to execute him on command. The emperor carefully examines the document and opens it. The document was indeed the Order of Summons he dispatched with a royal messenger to issue to the Cat Messenger.
“So, it seems that you are the Cat Messenger. Still, that does not explain why you appeared from the upper levels in a manner that would suggest that you were here to assassinate me.” The emperor was aggravated, looking at the Cat Messenger with stern eyes.
“Again, my deepest apologies, you Imperial Majesty. The royal messenger didn’t specify how I should appear before you, just that I appear only to you.” The Cat Messenger remained kneeling, head lowered and unwaveringly steady despite the number of guards surrounding him.
“Humph. You should have known better than to sneak into this place. I ought to have you executed right here and now.” The emperor sits back down, keeping a cautious eye on the Cat Messenger.
“If that is what your Imperial Majesty requires of me to fully pay for my past and current crimes, then I will accept. However, I must relinquish the documents I have in my possession to someone who can carry out the delivery of them.”
“You past crimes?” The emperor curiously asked what he meant.
“Yes, I was an orphan, so I became a thief, stealing from those who had more and gave it to those who needed it most. After a few years, I was recruited to be an assassin, working for Shinia but was betrayed. I was given a choice between prison or working as a messenger on the front lines.” The Cat Messenger lowered himself as much as he could in his already lowered state.
“So, you chose freedom and danger over confinement and security? You are an interesting one indeed. Your talents will come in handy for your first royal mission.” The emperor had a grin on his face.
“Royal mission, your Imperial Majesty?”
“Yes.” The emperor reaches over to a stand that had several sealed documents on it. He picked up one that had server parchments of paper rolled up. The paper was of higher quality than the one that was sent by the Cat Messenger. Being a royal mission and the quality of the paper, the Cat Messenger could only speculate which noble it was intended. “You are to take this document to the Emperor of Tretish. I would prefer if you did not appear before him as you did with me. Approach one of the guards outside of the wall and tell him that you are with a document from me. That will at least get you an appearance with the emperor.”
“I understand your Imperial Majesty. I will not fail you.”
“Oh, and should the emperor decline to what is written, you have permission to assassinate him.” The emperor smiled and stood up. He walked towards the Cat Messenger and handed him the document, leaning down close to his ear. “Should you fail, I expect that you will indeed be executed. However, if you return alive, you may just be rewarded beyond your imagination.”
“I will take my leave then, your Imperial Majesty.” The Cat Messenger hides the document away and slowly begins to slide backwards, rising only enough to walk backwards and out the doors.
Crossing the border between Shinia and Tretish was far from easy, but with the ensuing chaos around it, the Cat Messenger could get by unnoticed. The travel to Tretish capital would take three weeks on foot, but he was hoping to come across unguarded horses somewhere in that time. So far, he has been lucky not to have been targeted by archers, but since he knows that there are wanted posters with his description, he decided to change clothes, and blend in as one of the Tretish messengers.
As he makes his way to the Tretish capital, few soldiers stop and request that he takes documents to deliver. Unknowing what the royal document he carries contains, he always agreed to take them, which he can return with later to Shinia to hand over. One soldier gave him a horse to take to the capital, so it made the trip faster than he thought it would take, taking only one week.
Arriving in the capital, he went to the inner wall that surrounded the castle and approached one of the guards.
“Excuse me, I am a messenger from the front lines. I have strict orders to give a document directly to the emperor.” The Cat Messenger looked at the guard from under his hood.
“Get lost, kid. The castle isn’t the place for you to be poking around.” The guard sounded angry.
“I am sorry, but I must present the document to the emperor. I also have other documents that must be delivered here.” He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a few of the other documents he collected on his way to the capital.
Annoyed, the guard calls over one of the escort guards from the station that is just inside the wall. The guard tells him to take the Cat Messenger to the royal librarian. The escort complies and takes the Cat Messenger inside the castle to the library.
“And who might you be?” Asks the royal librarian who is up a ladder holding books.
“I am a messenger, sent with documents that need to be delivered.” The Cat Messenger smiles under his face mask, glad that he stopped to take documents from other soldiers.
“I see, well you can put the on the desk over there.” The royal librarian goes back to putting the books on the shelves.
The Cat Messenger places all the documents except the royal document that he had from the Emperor of Shinia. He walks back to where he was and looks up at the librarian, who sees the Cat Messenger out of the corner of his eye.
“Is there something else you needed?”
“Yes, I also have a document for the emperor. I am to hand it only to him and no one else.” The Cat Messenger was determined to appear before the Emperor of Tretish.
“Well, I do not think that will be possible. We do not allow regular messenger to see him. I am sure whoever sent the document would be okay with you leaving it with me.” The royal librarian descends the ladder and stands in front of the Cat Messenger.
“I am sorry, but I cannot do that. This document is only for the eyes of the emperor, and I cannot allow anyone else to take possession of it.”
“It just isn’t possible. Please, if it is for the emperor, I am sure that you can leave it with me. Or do you have some reason that you need to present it to the emperor?” The royal librarian seems to become agitated.
“I was sent here by the Emperor of Shinia himself, charged with presenting the royal document directly to the Emperor of Tretish. Under no circumstances am I allowed to fail in my mission to deliver this document to the emperor.” The Cat Messenger prepared himself to run in case the guard and royal librarian were to try and capture him.
“I see, well, follow me then. However, you will be searched and the document-” before the royal librarian can finish his sentence, the Cat Messenger speaks over him.
“The document will not leave my person until I am handing it directly to the emperor.”
“Humph. If you insist firmly, you will be kept close to the guards in case you try and do something that would go against the empire.” The royal librarian started to walk towards the door, gesturing the Cat Messenger to follow.
After being searched for weapons, the Cat Messenger is lead to the throne room and presented before the emperor. He is surrounded by guards the instant he entered the room, and they shuffle slowly towards the emperor.
“Your Imperial Majesty, thank you for seeing me on short notice. I have been charged with delivering a royal document to you from the Emperor of Shinia. If I may approach to hand it over, for your hands and eyes only?” The Cat Messenger is kneeling, head lowered.
“You may.” The emperor gestures to his guards to let him forward.
“Thank you, your Imperial Majesty.” The Cat Messenger stands with his head still lowered and reached into his jacket to pull out the royal document. He approached the emperor slowly and reached out the document which the emperor proceeded to take.
The emperor examines the seal and verifies that it is from the Emperor of Shinia. He unseals and opens the document, reading it carefully. When finished reading it, he looks back at the Cat Messenger. “What is your name?”
“I do not have a name, your Imperial Majesty. I am only known as the Cat Messenger.”
“The Cat Messenger? I have heard of you and your exploits. Many battles have been turned against us because of you. I should execute you for it.”
“You are not the first emperor who has said I should be executed, your Imperial Majesty.” The Cat Messenger cracks a smile, thinking that he has lived a good life and is prepared to die.
The emperor bursts out laughing, “You are a funny one, Cat Messenger. If only there were more like you, maybe we would not be fighting this war. Do you know what is written on this document?”
“No, your Imperial Majesty. I did not have the luxury of having been taught to read and write.”
“Well, it would not matter, anyone could have read this document. Do you know why? Because it is blank, there is nothing written on it. I believe the Emperor of Shinia intended to send this to me and anger me or he sent it on a whim that would have you killed. Knowing the emperor, I figure it is the latter. You must have done something to make him angry.”
“Well, I did sneak into the castle and appeared before him. He sent an Order of Summons with a royal messenger who told me to appear only before the emperor.” The Cat Messenger thought about the orphanage he grew up in, knowing that his time here alive was cut much shorter than he hoped.
The emperor began to laugh again, “Well, that certainly would do it. I think your first impression made him weary of you and decided that you could not be trusted. I now fully believe he sent you here to die.”
“I accept what fate will befall me, your Imperial Majesty.” The Cat Messenger thinks about all the people he helped with food and money.
“Well then, I charge you with becoming my spy.” The emperor grinned from ear to ear.
Taken aback, the Cat Messenger steadies himself again, “Your spy, your Imperial Majesty?”
“Yes, my spy. You will continue work as a messenger. However, you will collect information and details on the Empire of Shinia. You will report everything you learn back to me directly. I will even have you taught how to read and write.” The emperor was intelligent and hoped that the Cat Messenger would come to his side.
“I have one request, your Imperial Majesty if you will hear me out?”
“What is it?”
Thinking about everything that leads him to this point in life, he had only one request, “Please, if you would, see to any orphans that I send to the cities in the Tretish Empire and teach them how to read and write and trade skills that they want to learn. That is my only request, your Imperial Majesty.”
“Well, I don’t see why not. You have a deal, spy. From this day forth, you shall be known in the Tretish Empire as the Cat Spy.” The emperor stands, drawing his sword and placing the tip on the Cat Messenger’s shoulders.
James Diary's Short Stories 